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'People feel I have lost my appeal because I'm not single'

Last updated on: July 26, 2017 18:37 IST

'Bollywood runs on the idea of age.''If you are single, even if you are 40, you are still appealing, you are still young.' 'The moment you are married, even if you are 25, it's uh-huh. She's not sexy anymore.'

IMAGE: Kirti Kulhari

"I find it very weird when someone calls me a 'heroine'. I'm not used to that word," Kirti Kulhari laughs nervously.

The actress, who grabbed attention with her role in PINK, will be seen in Madhur Bhandarkar's Indu Sarkar.

Kirti discusses her career with Rediff.com's Ronjita Kulkarni and reveals why her character in Indu Sarkar was tough.

So we met and he explained what the film is about, what the character is about.

What was your first reaction?

Madhur Bhandarkar calling you for a film, especially after watching PINK...

I was pretty clear that the film would be about me because that's what he does best -- making films with female protagonists.

My character is very challenging, there's a lot happening in her life.

It was not just about doing a female-oriented film with Madhur, but doing this particular film with him.

I couldn't have asked for more.

IMAGE: Kirti Kulhari in Indu Sarkar.

The film rests on your shoulders. Are you nervous?

There is a part of me which feels I don't know what's going to happen.

But there is a bigger part of me, which is relaxed and at peace.

As an actor, whatever I could have done, I have done.

I have given my best. What happens to the film is not in my hands.

A part of your family lives in Rajasthan. Are you a celebrity there?

My grandparents, both sides, still live in Rajasthan.

We have a house in a village. Yes, I'm a celebrity there.

We would visit during my summer vacations (Kirti was born and raised in Mumbai).

I have done the village things like fetching water from wells matke mein, taken the cattle for grazing...

We have two camels in the house.

My grandparents don't have a TV at home. They just know I work in films, but haven't seen any of them.

They see my pictures in the local newspapers and it is a big deal for them.

My dad was in the navy. He retired two years ago.

IMAGE: Kirti with Madhur Bhandarkar on the last day of shooting at the ND Studio. Photograph: Kind courtesy Kirti Kulhari/Twitter

Your character in Indu Sarkar stammers. How did you prepare for it?

Coming from theatre, I do a lot of reading, discuss my character a lot, discuss the lines. That is the standard process I follow.

This girl stammers, and that took the maximum effort to get it right.

It was also the most exciting reason for me to do Indu Sarkar.

I started watching a lot of videos about stammering, would analyse them... like what is the pattern, the letters, the words...

I wanted to understand how it happens, so I met a psychologist.

From the people that I have seen stammering, I know that the fact they stammer makes them feel differently about themselves.

So how does that affect them as children and the growing up process?

It's like a complex that they have, so how does that shape them as adults?

I also met a speech therapist to figure out the pattern of stammering that my character should follow for it to be consistent through the film, for it to not evoke laughter and for it to be affable on screen.

It should not distract you from the movie.

We discussed physical characteristics as well, like twitching, playing with hands...